Christmas can be one of the happiest times of the year for families. Adults often remember Christmases of long ago with great fondness and children look forward to the holiday season all year long. But it’s not about the gifts. Many of the best Christmas memories are the ones tied up in doing something kind for someone else. Christmas random acts of kindness for families can provide years of happy memories in the future, but also bind your family together today.
We all love unexpected kindness shown to us and how much more fun is it to show unexpected kindness to others? Doing good deeds and a kind act for someone else can bring Christmas cheer to those who receive the random acts of Christmas kindness as well as the giver. Small acts of kindness can go a long way to bring joy to others during the holidays. A simple act of kindness can be done by a single person, kindness elves, a group of friends, or your immediate family.
When you think about the holidays, this can also be a time of sadness, loneliness, exhaustion, and loss. When you plan out your random act of Christmas kindness plan, think about the people who may not have the same happy experience or holiday plans as you do. What can you do to lighten their burden and bring them joy?
And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’Acts 20:35 NLT
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One of my favorite Christmas memories is from when I was about 5 years old. Our family had friends who had a local fire and their house had burned down in November. Thankfully, they were gone and no one was hurt, but they lost everything they had. A couple of weeks before Christmas we started collecting and purchasing gifts for their whole family. Some of the gifts were new, and some of them were gently used items we were willing to part with.
One night, my uncle dressed up in a Santa suit which was really just a pair of red sweat pants and sweatshirt with cotton balls taped to his face (this isn’t about believing in Santa or not), and put the gifts into a big pillowcase and went to the front door. We parked down the street from their house (they lived way out in the country) and watched from the dark car.
The joy and happiness this gave us was immeasurable. We saw their excited faces at the door and then the wonder as they watched my uncle leave. Their dad figured out it was us, but for a time, we were a mystery to their kids and we felt so happy knowing we had done something to help someone else!
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Christmas Acts of Kindness for Families
Whether you celebrate the Christmas season with gifts, a tree, decorations, and traditions or not, you CAN practice Christmas acts of kindness with your family. We celebrate Christmas as an expression of the greatest gift that was ever given – Jesus coming to earth from Heaven to become a tiny baby destined to die for our sins. What better example of our gratitude for that amazing gift than to share a random act of kindness to others during a time of year when many people are hurting, lonely, cold, hungry, and need some extra love and attention?
When you think about the “Christmas spirit” you probably think of giving to others. Random acts of kindness ideas are a great idea to add some holiday cheer during this busy time of year.
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Christmas Acts of Kindness
Christmas acts of kindness seem to have a special quality about them. Often, people are in a more festive spirit during the holidays. Spreading joy and kindness seem a natural thing when you are thinking about others. But many people experience the holidays as a very lonely time, so when someone goes out of their way to spread kindness, it can make a huge difference for the person receiving the kindness.
There are all kinds of people who struggle with the holiday season. People who are depending on their next meal from food banks, a homeless person who is literally freezing and hungry, the firefighters who are working at the local fire station on Christmas and not able to be with their families. The police station that is full of law enforcement officers who work to keep us protected even during the holidays.
You may also know a single parent whose spouse died recently and they are struggling to just make ends meet let alone feel like they have something to celebrate. You may also know a family with sick children or a child who is in the hospital waiting for miracle.
No matter the need, kindness activities don’t have to be expensive to share the holiday spirit and a great way to share the good times and joy of Christmas time.
What is Christmas Kindness?
Christmas is often a time of year when people feel more generous and think about others just a bit more. But it can also be a time of extreme sadness and loneliness for people who are alone, have lost someone, are struggling financially, or perhaps even feel fearful because of a diagnosis, loss of job, or broken relationships.
Christmas kindness is something that is done for someone else during the Christmas holiday and beyond. Christmas kindness can be shared with people you know and love, your neighbors and friends, or even someone you’ve never met before.
There is no magic formula here, it is simply looking for ways to be extra-kind to someone else and can be practiced all year round! As you think about what Christmas acts of kindness your family can participate in this year, don’t make it too complicated.
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
Luke 6:31
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How is Kindness spread during the holidays?
Christmas kindness is spread during the holidays by one person doing a kind thing for another person. It’s as simple as that but can become a powerful way to impact a community. Often, when someone is kind to you, you find it easier to be kind to someone else. When you leave an extra large tip for your waiter, they may in turn choose to do something generous for someone else. If you bake cookies for your mail carrier, they may in turn share that generosity to someone down the road. You just never know how your Christmas kindness may impact others.
Your family can start a new tradition of finding new ways to participate in Christmas kindness to others. Make a list of the things you do and share the stories of how the person or people reacted to your kindness.
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27 Christmas Acts of Kindness for Families
Now that we’ve talked about what Christmas acts of kindness for families are, let’s dive into the list of suggestions. Use your imagination and talk about these Christmas kindness ideas together with your family and you will probably come up with another 25 ideas or more that your family would like to participate in. Use these ideas to fill in your random acts of kindness Christmas calendar. See if you can do one (or more) each day. You can even use it as your own Advent calendar!
- Make a plate of goodies for a neighbor and deliver it to them. Vera’s Orange Knots are perfect for sharing!
- Check with your local homeless shelter and see if they have any specific needs.
- Invite a lonely friend over for a meal.
- Know a single mom? Offer to take her children Christmas shopping for their mom. Or to watch the kids while mom goes shopping.
- Toys for Tots is run by the U.S. Marines and collects gifts of toys for children who have a designated need.
- Check with your church and see if there are any specific needs that you could help a family with during the holidays while you are at the grocery store.
- Find an “angel tree” or other giving tree at the local hospital. There are people who are in the hospital during the holidays too.
- Make Christmas cards and deliver them to a nursing home or care facility. Sing some carols as well.
- Think about the teachers at your school. Could you take a plate of treats in for them to enjoy, or deliver hot chocolate to all the staff?
- Deliver some goodies and a thank you card to the fire department and police department. Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are easy to make!
- Shovel someone’s driveway and sidewalk or do their yard work.
- Pick up groceries for a neighbor or friend who can’t drive anymore.
- Send a thank you card to someone whose Christmas lights make you happy.
- Think of someone you know who doesn’t have any family close by and invite them to do something with you like looking at lights, a meal, making cookies, going to a Christmas concert, etc.
- Pack a shoebox for kids in a different country with Samaritan’s Purse
- Sponsor a child in an orphanage and help provide them with food, education, and home through International Children’s Care.
- Raise money to buy a goat or chickens for a family to start a business and have food through ADRA.
- Help an elderly neighbor or friend hang up their Christmas lights or put up their decorations.
- Share a compliment on a comment card at the store to appreciate a clerk’s hard work.
- Collect toiletries and make bags to hand out to homeless people with gloves, socks, snacks, and a bottle of water.
- Offer to return someone’s grocery cart when they are finished.
- Let someone go ahead of you in line.
- Read your favorite Christmas book or story to a friend.
- Thank your garbage truck drivers or make them some treats.
- Buy groceries for the food bank.
- Help prep or serve a meal or two at the local soup kitchen.
- Smile at someone.
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Simple Christmas Acts of Kindness for Families
As you read the list above, I’m sure you thought of a whole bunch of other Christmas acts of kindness your family could participate in this year. These acts of kindness don’t have to be contained just during the Christmas season, but can expand and grow to become a part of your family culture and traditions all year long.
Image a few years down the road, when your family is remembering the fun times you had together doing Christmas kindness as a family and the fun stories you might share as a result of the impact of your kindness. The animals waiting for adoption at the local shelter won’t be able to thank you for the pet supplies, but that single mom you got a gift card for surely can. That lonely person who received your phone call, and your extended family member who needed a visit or a card, will surely be blessed by your Christmas kindness!
Think of the people you will bless with your kindness and how that could transform their day or even their life. Your family can make a difference today! Today is the perfect time during the festive season to share God’s love with others.
You may also like these Biblical parenting links…
- Tips for Sitting in Church with Kids
- Bedtime Prayers – Creating an Evening Routine
- 52 Memory Verses for Kids to Memorize
- Family Worship Ideas with Kids
- Morning Prayers for Families
- Teaching Kids to Pray
- 9 Powerful Prayers for Your Daughter
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